Neil Sullivan has spent more time preparing for the latest and biggest shift in college athletics — schools paying athletes directly — than anything else over the last year.
“It’s fundamentally altered the way we think about everything,” Sullivan said. “NIL really in 2021 changed that. Then as we’ve moved more toward more dramatic changes, it’s become a part of our daily operation — a part that we didn’t have before. It includes everything from how we allocate resources to how we’re structured as a staff. There’s been a fundamental shift in our day-to-day operations as we prepare for that.”
Asked how confident he is that UD is ready for this moment, Sullivan said, “We’re ready. I’m confident we’re going to be well positioned. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t keep me up at night, or that anything’s easy, but we have a legacy of a fan base. We have a healthy program. We have a university that believes in athletics and believes in basketball. We have alignment there. We have a community that supports it. So we’re going to be aggressive. We’re going to be bold…